Alfa Romeo Reference Library

[GianniB]

I'm thinking it would be a good idea to compile a list of essential books for the Alfista's library and include it as a sticky in this forum. I'll complile the list from stuff people post on this thread. I'll start with:

GENERAL MARQUE HISTORY
Alfa Romeo Tradition by Griff Borgeson
Alfa Romeo A History by Hull & Slater

MODEL BY MODEL HISTORY
All Cars from 1910 by Luigi Fusi
Alfa Romeo Production Cars 1910 - 1996 by D'Amico & Tabucchi

INDIVIDUAL MODEL BOOKS
Pre-war
The Immortal 2.9 by Simon Moore
The Legendary 2.3 by Simon Moore

Post-war
Alfa Romeo All-Alloy Twin Cam Companion 1954-1994 by Pat Braden
Alfa Romeo Owner's Bible by Pat Braden
Alfa Romeo Giulia History & Restoration by Pat Braden
Alfa Romeo Giulia Coupe GT & GTA by John Tipler
Alfa Romeo Buyers Guide by Joe Benson
Alfa Romeo Disco Volante by CFB Anderloni
Alleggerita (Alfa Giulia Sprint GTA) by Adriaensens
Alfa Romeo 164 by Bruno Alfieri

RACING
First Among Champions The Alfa Romeo Grand Prix Cars by Venables

Cheers,

[dretceterini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GianniB I'm thinking it would be a good idea to compile a list of essential books for the Alfista's library and include it as a sticky in this forum. I'll complile the list from stuff people post on this thread. I'll start with: GENERAL MARQUE HISTORY Alfa Romeo Tradition by Griff Borgeson Alfa Romeo A History by Hull & Slater MODEL BY MODEL HISTORY All Cars from 1910 by Luigi Fusi Alfa Romeo Production Cars 1910 - 1996 by D'Amico & Tabucchi INDIVIDUAL MODEL BOOKS Pre-war The Immortal 2.9 by Simon Moore The Legendary 2.3 by Simon Moore Post-war Alfa Romeo All-Alloy Twin Cam Companion 1954-1994 by Pat Braden Alfa Romeo Owner's Bible by Pat Braden Alfa Romeo Giulia History & Restoration by Pat Braden Alfa Romeo Giulia Coupe GT & GTA by John Tipler Alfa Romeo Buyers Guide by Joe Benson Alfa Romeo Disco Volante by CFB Anderloni Alleggerita (Alfa Giulia Sprint GTA) by Adriaensens Alfa Romeo 164 by Bruno Alfieri RACING First Among Champions The Alfa Romeo Grand Prix Cars by Venables Cheers,

[carlo]

I would like to add:


To general marque books
Luigi Fusi: "Le Grandi Alfa Romeo"
Angelo Tito Anselmi: "Alfa: imagine e percorsi 1919 - 1985"
Davide de Bertolis: "Alfa Romeo...dei nostri sogni"

To individual model books:
Luigi Fusi: "Alfa Romeo The Type A Single Seater of 1931"
Angela Cherrett: "Alfa Romeo Modello 8c 2300"
Marcello Minerbi: "Alfa Romeo Zagato SZ TZ"
Michele Marciano: "Fiat 8VZ Alfa 1900SSZ"


Ciao Carlo

[Olczyk]

And the TZ book with all race results + Registration + Photos + Chassis histories by myself

Philippe

REgards

[dretceterini]

The deletion of posts has NOTHING to do with who is correct about Alfa Romeo and other cars histories. It is simply because the people who run this board and the board at Atlas nostalga forum do not want to get involved, which I can understand.

Stu Schaller

[Olczyk]

The deletion of posts has been done because the comments made was untrue, unproven and was simply attacks against myself.
The truth can be said, but the slandering is innaceptable and a forum is a place to exchange ideas, chare knowledge, not a place for free spite.

Personnaly, I m very open to any discussion and if you want to see my last upgrades about chassis number, free access, it s open to everybody www.classicscars.com but making books are very difficult and to do a good job, I only look for proven facts like originals registration, period photos etc..
Now, as I explain in the introduction of the 904 book, when I found 2 cars with the same chassis number and after long research, I decide to take position for one of them, I have a happy owner and a angry one but as I never been sue for any of my books, it just show that the owners accept the content of the book.
Now, I m always very happy if a owner can prove me wrong ( I m not God ), by this way, I can modify my statements if he came with news papers, photos, documentation. I never modify a statement only with "ballons fresh air". I learn everyday, and always happy to learn, but learning come with news proofs, not with injustified gossips where theirs authors refuse to be cited.
Presentely, I m working on a De Tomaso Racing Cars book, and any good help will be rewarded.
Regards

[dretceterini]

Quote:
The deletion of posts has been done because the comments made was untrue, unproven and was simply attacks against myself.
The truth can be said, but the slandering is innaceptable and a forum is a place to exchange ideas, chare knowledge, not a place for free spite.

MY response:
ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE. The deletion of posts was due simply to the FACT that the owners of this board and of the Atals Nostalga board do not want to get involved in personal disagreements and any possible litigation, and for NO other reason. Just another attempt, in my OPINION for Mr.Olczyk too try and manipulate FACTS.

[GianniB]

You two "gentleman" need to take this somewhere else and stop trying to get the last word. You are lucky that I am not the admin here, you would be getting a time out like my 4 year old does when acting in this maner. Grow up, both of you.

[dretceterini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GianniB You two "gentleman" need to take this somewhere else and stop trying to get the last word. You are lucky that I am not the admin here, you would be getting a time out like my 4 year old does when acting in this maner. Grow up, both of you.

[Olczyk]

Hello, can somebody tell me where I can find race results for SCCA for my next book racing Car De Tomaso ?

Any Help will be rewarded
Thanks

[GianniB]

Stop hijaking this thread...

[carlo]

Hi Alfisti,

I could not imagine that a library thread could become so interesting

My impression: There is nothing to discuss about good books.

Quote:

And the TZ book with all race results + Registration + Photos + Chassis histories

[Olczyk]

Hello, I will never understand how it s possible that people who never write a book can have a opinion on everythings.Me I known that it s very difficult and I did the job, look like that it s much very easy to critic than doing the job.

[gtv2000]

Coming back to the thread's core, I mostly agree with GianniB's selection, as well as with carlo's. A few comments and opinions on some quoted books:

Bianchi Anderloni's book on Disco Volantes is very nice and the author, who unfortunately passed away last year, was a direct witness of the facts described. But when you come to the end of the book, you still feel it lacks solid history of the cars: it doesn't address open questions, like a misterious possible third 6C spider, and avoids explaining the results of the car tests, the famous aerodynamically-caused lift-effect that prevented any use of the DVs in serious racing. So, a nice book on a fascinating subject, but, to my eyes, not eligible in the top-ten if there the need for a choice.

Olczyk's book is best avoided in favour of the much older Minerbi's effort. At least Minerbi tries to tell you a history of the TZ, its origin, development, etc., where there is simply no text in the newer book. Just unsupported and allusive claims defying one's sense, as is the author's well known behaviour.

Alleggerita is an impressive sum of technical description, so it deserves its place on the shelf without hesitation. But there's then the need for a comprehensive racing history of the GTA. It's unfortunately not completely filled by Tabucchi's "GTA" book, which is more "around" the GTA and its era than a comprehensive tale.

Alfa Romeo production cars 1910-1995 by D'Amico and Tabucchi is unfortunately another missed target. Seemingly, that was caused by impossible edition deadlines more than by author's lack of seriousness. The book presented itself as a definitive catalogue, claiming more or less to outdate Fusi's bible. Such a high target could not live with hundreds of errors (some corrected in a 16-pages errata booklet) that leads you to wonder, when you find a new information in it, whether it's indeed a scoop or just another typo/miscaption/confusion. So, when Fusi and D'Amico disagree, it's a good guess to first stand on Fusi's side unless further evidence is given. A revised edition is said to be under work.

My additions:

- Le Alfa Romeo di Vittorio Jano is an overview of arguably the most fascinating age. It leaves you with a strong will to know more on every model it covers, but it's a well balanced book with Jano's and Ferrari's interviews and exceptional pictures, many by Corrado Millanta.

It’s « brother », Le Alfa Romeo di Giuseppe Merosi is as interesting on a less fascinating time, but it’s uselful to also have something on Alfa’s roots
-While not being focused on sole Alfas, Carrozzeria Touring by Bianchi Anderloni and Tito Anselmi is another book bringing you unlimited pleasure, both with the text and with the pictures

Together with Immagini e percorsi quoted by calro, I would add Alfa Romeo, 70 anni di immagini. Just and only pictures from the archive, but covering every aspect of Alfa, from locomotives to busses and trucks, through marine and aero engines.

But if I had to save from whatever disaster only an armful load, I would probably take:
Fusi's "bible"
Borgeson's "Tradition"
Hull and Slater's "History"
Moore's "Immortal" (the "2.3" is too heavy! :-))

[dretceterini]

Good choices. If I had only ONE Alfa book
it would have to be the most recent version of the Hull and Slater.

There are also some coachwork books in addition to the Touring book (and a new Touring book is on the way, but mainly on Anderloni and not the cars)...

70 years of Zagato (better IMO than the newer double book, and less expensive)...out of print but still can be found..

Boneschi (out of print, but still can be found at a reasonable price)

Bertone...no really great book exist on this coachbuilder, but there are some that are good